Introduction

Around the world, women and girls still face barriers in law, policy, and everyday life. Today, women have only about 64 per cent of the legal rights that men have globally, and progress toward equality remains slow. In many areas including; education, work, income, safety, family life, property, mobility, business, and retirement, systems and structures do not yet serve everyone equally. This is not just a women’s issue; it affects families, communities, institutions, and societies as a whole.

International Women’s Day 2026 is observed under the theme “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” This theme is a call to action for women, men, institutions, and communities to work together to unlock equal rights and opportunities. Libraries and information professionals have an important role to play by supporting access to information, promoting inclusive policies, and creating spaces where every person can learn, thrive, and lead.

To mark this occasion, AfLIA is hosting a webinar bringing together African library and information professionals from across Africa and the diaspora. The webinar will highlight practical actions that librarians and institutions can take to promote rights, equality, and empowerment for all. We therefore invite you to join this conversation, share experiences, and help shape more inclusive and equitable library and information services.

Date: Monday, 9 March 2026
Time: 11:00 UTC | 12:00 WAT | 13:00 CAT / SAST | 14:00 EAT

Target Audience

This webinar is ideal for:

  • African public and community library staff and volunteers
  • Academic and research librarians
  • Library and information science educators and students
  • Library associations and allied information professionals
  • Gender advocates and development practitioners working with libraries

Registration

Please click the registration button to sign up for the webinar. Once you register, you will receive reminders and updates about the event.

CLICK TO REGISTER

Speaker Profile

Mrs. Mwanza Aggie Kaite-Mumbi

Aggie is a library and information professional currently serving as Deputy Director in the Journals and Table Office Department at the Parliament of Zambia. She holds a double major Bachelor’s Degree in Library and Information Studies and Public Administration, a Bachelor of Laws Degree, and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management. She is a member of the Library and Information Association of Zambia (LIAZ) and is the Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee for the 2026 Standing Conference of Eastern, Central and Southern African Library and Information Associations (SCECSAL). Aggie previously served as Secretary General of LIAZ and as AfLIA National Library Associations Member (2017–2021). She also worked as a Librarian at the Parliament of Zambia Library, where she contributed to strengthening legislative research and knowledge services. As an alumna of the Trailblazers’ Program: Librarians Leading Change (Global Libraries Programme by IFLA in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), she is passionate about expanding the impact of libraries across Africa and empowering library professionals through access to information, innovation, and collaborative leadership.

Technical Requirements

After registration, reminders will be sent periodically to all participants. The webinar will be hosted on the Zoom Conferencing Platform. Participants who do not already have Zoom on their devices should download, install, and create an account ahead of time (CLICK TO DOWNLOAD).

Participants are encouraged to join at least 15 minutes before the start of the session to allow time to launch the application and test their connection. The speaker will connect using a webcam, and audio and video will be streamed through computer speakers. For the best experience, participants are encouraged to use a headset or earpiece.

Webinar Materials

A list of resources and additional information will be shared at the end of the webinar to support deeper engagement with the topic. All registrants will have access to the presentation slides. The webinar recording will be uploaded to the AfLIA YouTube Channel after the event to support continued learning for both attendees and non-attendees. Please note that certificates of participation will not be issued for this webinar.

Enquiries

For further enquiries or assistance related to this webinar, please contact: afliacomm@aflia.net